Baseball

UMBC Faces In-State Rival Maryland on Wednesday; Game Moved to Harford Community College

Mar 18, 2014

BALTIMORE – Due to inclement weather in the Baltimore-Washington metro area earlier in the week, Wednesday's baseball game between UMBC and Maryland has been moved from College Park to Harford Community College. First pitch in Bel Air, Md. between the Retrievers and Terrapins is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

UMBC (3-8) took out Navy, 8-3, in Annapolis, Md. last Wednesday courtesy of a five-run sixth inning and then won the series opener against America East rival Albany, 3-2, on Saturday. The Great Danes pushed back, however, and won the next two games to take the series.

Maryland (11-6) defeated Delaware at home last Tuesday, March 11 before winning the middle game of a three-game set with North Carolina in College Park over the weekend. The Terps play the Blue Hens again on Tuesday, March 18, also at Harford Community College, before taking on the Retrievers.

The Retrievers will send senior Stephen Chrzanowski (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora/Hagerstown CC) to the mound for Wednesday's game while the Terps will counter with sophomore lefty Jake Drossner (3-2, 4.66 ERA). Chrzanowski has not pitched this season for the Retrievers, but made 13 appearances last year, including two starts, working to a 3.60 ERA.

Wednesday's contest will be the 40th all-time meeting between UMBC and Maryland on the diamond, but the first since 2010. The Terps lead the series, 28-11-1, and won that last matchup, 10-7, at Alumni Field in Baltimore after taking the game in College Park earlier in the season, 8-5.

Sophomores Mark Esposito (Bethany, Conn./Amity Regional) and Kevin Lachance (Clifton, Va./Centreville) have paced the Retriever offense so far this season, each hitting over .300. Lachance leads the team with 15 hits, while both infielders have driven in four runs.

Freshman Hunter Dolshun (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick) had a break-out week last week for UMBC and was named the America East Rookie of the Week. Playing as the team's designated hitter, Dolshun hit .385 (5-for-13) in the Retrievers' four games, connecting for his first two career home runs. He went 3-for-3 in the middle game of the series versus Albany, which included one round-tripper, and in all, collected five RBI and scored four runs.

The Maryland offense has been held to a .242 average this season, but the pitching staff has made up for it, posting a 3.60 ERA. Taylor Stiles (2-0) has come out of the pen six times to work a combined 10.2 innings and has given up just two earned runs (1.69 ERA). He has held the opposition to a .158 batting average. Kevin Mooney, meanwhile, has recorded two saves this season while appearing in four games for the Terps.

DAWG BITES

- No one on the Retriever roster has ever played against Maryland in NCAA action.

- The Retrievers are 1-1 in neutral site games this season with both contests coming at the Chanticleer Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (L vs. Elon; W vs. UNC Greensboro)

- Esposito is hitting .375 (9-for-24) in non-conference play this season.